The invention relates generally to the non-destructive assay of radionuclides, and, more particularly to a method for assaying the radionuclide content of waste by measuring emitted gamma and neutron radiation.
Operation of nuclear power plants results in the generation of low level waste. Before this waste may be disposed of by land burial, it is necessary to verify its contents. The rule 10 CFR 61 provides specifications as to the quantities of transuranic radionuclides and certain other radionuclides that are permitted in waste packages slated for disposal at commercial shallow land fill burial sites. However, many of these radionuclides are difficult or impossible to measure by direct counting techniques. Nuclear utilities have been unable to economically comply with the 10 CFR 61 rule. We have discovered a method to assay these radionuclides by correlation with those radionuclides which can be measured. It is now possible to assay a sealed waste package for all of the radionuclides specified in 10 CFR 61.
It is accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a method for non-destructively assaying radionuclides in a sealed container.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for assaying radionuclides which cannot be assayed by direct counting techniques.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.